Transfer-table and switching system



J. W. SMITH. TRANSFER TABLE AND SWITCHING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. I920. RENEWED DEC. 4. 1920.

Patented Jan. 18, 19 21.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' ATI'ORNEY 1. w. SMIITH.

TRANSFER TABLE AND SWITCHING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. 1920. RENEWED DEC. 4. I920.

Patented Jan. 18,1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ATTORN EY J. W. SMITH. TRANSFER TABLE AND SWITCHING SYSTEM. APPLICATlON FILED mm. 26. 1920. RENEWED nzc. 4. 192 0.

m T Av A a. Jm m 0 Q o o O M P o A'ITORNEY WITNESS:

J. W. SMITH. TRANSFER TABLE AND SWITCHING SYSTEM. 1 APPLICATION FILED APR. 26, 1920. RENEWED DEC. 4. 1920.

1,366,292, Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

id 7am WA /7a 55/4 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRANSFER-TABLE AND SWITCHING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Application filed April 26, 1920, Serial No. 376,830. Renewed December 4, 1920. Serial No. 428,375.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. SMITH, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Great Falls in the county of Gascade and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Transfer- Tables and Switching Systems, of which the following is-a specification.

This invention relates to railroad devlces, particularly toswitching systems, and has for its object the provision of a transfer table associated with a plurality of tracks and movable transversely thereof, the table itself carrying tracks upon which ma be disposed cars whereby upon shifting 0 the table the cars may be distributed onto d1fferent tracks, it being a feature that the device may receive and distribute cars at the same time that cars may be taken from or added to a train by passing over the table.

An important object is the provision of means carried by the transfer table and power operated whereby cars disposed upon the table may be moved transversely thereof and kicked off onto the desired tracks, it being preferable that the transfer table be slightly higher than the tracks whereby to impart impetus to the cars as they leave the table.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with readily controlled means associated with each track thereof whereby the car or cars on any ofthe tracks of the table may be quickly and easily shifted.

A further object is the provision of a device of this character which is provided with means whereby the table may be locked against movement with the tracks thereon registering preferably with the main tracks.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple to operate, highly efiicient and rapid in action, and a general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a plan, view of my device Shown somewhat diagrammatically.

. of the table,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a portion Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view therethrough,

Fig. is a detail view of the gear shifting mechanism to eflect forward or reverse driving of the drums,

*1g. 5 is a sectional view at right angles to Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the locking mechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the gear shifting levers, the View being taken transversely with respect to Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates the main tracks, B designates a pit formed of reinforced concrete, and C designates other tracks disposed in alinement with the tracks A but at the opposite side of the pit with respect thereto. The series of tracks A may be the tracks upon which trains are made up and the tracks C may be the tracks occupied by through, local, or idle trains, the track arrangement really forming no part of the present invention but these details being. mentioned for the sake of explaining the utility of my device.

Located within the pit B are tracks 10, in the present instance five in number, and these tracks are of course transverse with respect to the'tracks A and C. Disposed within the pit is a table 11 formed of suitable steel girders, reinforcing bars, and struts, as shown, it being believed that a detailed description of the specific structural steel construction is unnecessary. The table of course includes a proper platform 12 which forms a top for the same and secured upon this platform are tracks 13 any one of which may be brou ht into registration with any of the tracks and C. Disposed upon the underside of the table 11 at the intersections of the main girders thereof, are trucks 14 which roll upon the tracks 10 so that the table may be moved as required. Any suitable means may be employed for moving the table though an advantageous system is a stationary rack bar 15 secured within the pit and engaged by a gear 16 driven by any electric motor or the like 17 mounted on the table and readily controllable by an operator.

In order that the table may be locked with any of the tracks 13 thereon registering with any of the tracks A and C, I provide in each side of the pit B sockets 18 and I provide upon each side of the table 11 bolts or pins 19 adapted to be projected into the sockets 18 and these bolts have connected therewith levers 20 by means of which they ma be moved in either direction.

Iii order that cars may be kicked off of the tracks 13, I provide a pair of shafts 21 extending longitudinally of the table on the underside thereof and these shafts are driven by any suitable means as'by means of motors 22 driving a train of gears 23 connected with the shafts. Journaled upon the underside of the table beneath each track 13 thereon, is a pair of drums 24, which carry intermeshing gears 25 and these drums have wound thereon the ends of a cable 26 WhlCh extends beneath the table, around grooved guide pulleys 27 at the sides thereof, and

across the top of the table. The cable 26 has connected therewith a short cable 28 having a suitable eye or loop 29 adapted to be engaged upon a projection 30 formed on a suitable casting 31 carried by the ends of the cars to be shifted.

In order that the drums at any desired one of the tracks .13 may be operated, I provide pinions 32 which may be shdable upon the shafts 21, there being one pinion 32 for each gear 25. It is also understood that the shafts 21 have small angular portions, preferably hexagonal in cross section, so that the pinions 32 will be non-rotatable thereon. Each pinion 32 carries a collar 33 h'avin a groove 34 within which is engaged a fork 35 carried by a lever 36 pivoted upon the table. It will be observed that the levers 36 are arranged in pairs and connected by a bar 37. The levers 36 are so arranged and mounted that when either one of any pair is moved to throw the associated pinion 32 into mesh with the adjacent gear 25 the other pinion 32 will be moved out of mesh with the other gear 25, this arrangement being provided to prevent any possibility of having both pinions meshing with both gears The operation is as follows:

The operator sets in operation the motor 17 for moving the entire table along the pit to bring any desired one of the tracks 13 into registration with any one of the tracks A or C and then when this position is reached, moves any one of the levers 20 for engaging the associated bolt 19 within the adjacent socket 18 for locking the table against movement and consequently holding the tracks 13 in re 'stration with the tracks A and C. It is pre erable in actual practice, that the table be of suflicient width to accommodate at least two cars on each trackv 13 thereof. The car or cars being shoved onto the table, the locking bolt 19 is then desired ones of the tracks A and C. The

looking bolt 19 is then engaged within the desired socket and the proper levers 36 are moved to bring the desired pinion 32 into mesh with the proper gear 25. The motor 22 driving the associated shaft 21 is then set in operation, whereupon the drums 24 w ll be rotated in opposite directions, one w nding and the other unwinding cable 26. The loop or eye 29 carried by the cable 28 1s of course first engaged upon the proectlon 30 on the car to be moved. The winding of the cable upon the drum will result in kicking off the car from the track 13 onto the desired one of the tracks A or C.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a simply operated and yet highly eflicient device by means of wh ch cars may be readily shifted from one place to another and deposited onto different tracks, the device being particularly useful 1n the making up of trains or the shooting of cars onto idle tracks.

Whlle I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it 1s of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as \v1ll not depart from the spirit of the inventlon or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a plurality of tracks having a pit interposed thereacross, a table movable within the pit and carrymg tracks adapted to be brought selectively 1nto registration with the first named tracks, means for moving the table, means for lockmg the table against movement, and means associated with said second named tracks for moving a car thereon comprislng a pair of winding drums under and carried by the table at each track thereon, means for rotating either drum, and a cable having its ends wrapped about said drums and having its intermediate portion extending across and above the table and adapted for connection with a car.

2. In combination with a plurality of tracks having a pit interposed thereacross, a table movable within the pit and carrying tracks adapted to be brought selectively into registration with the first named tracks, means for moving the table, means for lockmg the table against movement, and means associated with said second named tracks for moving a car thereon comprising a; pair of shafts journaled beneath the table and arranged in parallel relation, means for driving said shafts, a pair of drums jourby to shift the same, and a cable having its naled on the underside of the table beneath ends trained about the drums of each pair each track thereon, gears carried by said and having its intermediate portion passing 10 drums, pinions slidabl'e on said shafts and across thetop of the table and adapted for selectively movable into engagement with connection with a car.

. said gears, levers extending through the In testimony whereof I afiix my sligiature.

table and connected withsaid pinions where- JOHN W, S TH 

